There have been a number of methods and apparatus heretofore employed, including the light gas gun, shaped explosive charges, and the electrostatic accelerator to accelerate particles to high speeds. These practices typically involve micron size and larger particles and speeds ranging into the tens of kilometers per second. There are, however, disadvantages in using these prior known techniques and none is particularly effective for the rapid production of a steady stream of relatively small high-speed particles.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a relatively simple and highly effective method and apparatus for accelerating a filament for a number of useful purposes.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel method and apparatus for accelerating a filament that is particularly useful in cutting a workpiece.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a novel method and apparatus for accelerating a filament that is particularly suited for the rapid production of a steady stream of particles for cutting, coating, welding and like useful purposes.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel method and apparatus suitable for producing ultra-high velocity, micron-size particles characterized by the application of an impelling force to a length of filament a torque arm distance from an axis of rotation and preferably in an evacuated space for increased speeds.